Donald docks at home near you

- Themed living to replicate Disneyland

PRIYANKA ROY

A playroom based on the Mickey and friends theme

If you can’t take your child to Disneyland, bring the dream world of Disneyland to your home.

Disney India has teamed up with city-based real estate developer Team Taurus to bring alive the fairytale experience for children at home by introducing themed living based on Disney’s most-loved characters.

“This project is about children being able to live the Disney stories that they love beyond what they see on TV and in films. Through this Disney-themed living project, we will convert a child’s room into a complete Disney experience. A little girl can have a Disney Princess room and for a boy who loves Spider-Man, the whole room can be a complete Spider-Man experience,” Roshini Bakshi, managing director of publishing and retail at Disney-UTV, told Metro.

The company already offers its themed living range to customers in Mumbai and has chosen Calcutta as the first destination to expand its footprint in the east.

“The Disney brand awareness in Calcutta is very high, almost 85 per cent. Calcutta is a very important market for Disney and we are already present here in the form of our products in close to 3,000-odd stores. Extensive research has shown us that Calcutta is more than ready for a project like this,” Bakshi said.

Walls to ceilings, fans to beddings, furniture to carpets, upholstery to light switches and even bathroom accessories, a Disney themed room will be a fan’s dream hangout.

Themed living has been gaining in popularity with market research showing that 12 to 15 per cent of the total investment on interiors by Indian parents is now on their kids’ rooms.

“Every parent wants to take his or her child to Disneyland but many can’t afford to. The purpose of this project is to bring some of that Disney magic permanently into a part of your home. Taurus will introduce Brand Disney to the middle-income group,” said Amitabh Roy, the CEO of Team Taurus.

The project, spread over 17 acres in Pailan on the southern fringes, has two million sq ft of “self-sustainable residential development” that includes Disney-inspired kids’ recreational areas such as an exclusive children’s club with a themed swimming pool, play zone and a plethora of other amenities themed on toon characters.

“We have the option of extending it by another 17 acres, based on the response we get,” said Roy, who says that the homes will be made available at a “very attractive” price.

The project starts in April and the first phase will be ready in 24 months. Prototypes of the Disney rooms will be available for display next month onwards.